Scotland
Morven
706M
2316FT
About Morven
Rising as a striking, isolated cone above the flow country, this is the highest point in Caithness. It offers a rugged, pathless ascent over deep heather and loose scree. Reaching the summit provides an immense sense of space, overlooking the distinctive peak of Maiden Pap and the vast, peat-stained wilderness of the north.
Key Statistics
Rank
70th Highest in Region
Parent Range
North West Highlands
Prominence
?
576m
Nearest Town
Highland
Geology
You are walking on layers of sandstone and conglomerate. This solid foundation is made from compressed sand and stony pebbles that have been naturally cemented together.
Find It
Latitude
58.2342°N
Longitude
3.6967°W
Did You Know?
- •Derived from the Gaelic A' Mhòr Bheinn, the name translates simply as ‘The Great Hill’. In a landscape as low-lying and level as the Caithness flow country, the name is well-earned, as the mountain dominates the horizon for miles in every direction.
- •Though it sits at a modest 706 metres, Morven is the highest point in the historic county of Caithness. Its isolation makes it a primary navigational landmark for sailors in the Pentland Firth and even for those looking south from the Orkney Islands.
- •The ascent is famously rough, lacking clear paths and requiring a trudge through the deep heather and boggy terrain characteristic of the Flow Country. Most walkers approach from Braemore, often pairing it with its smaller, sharper-looking neighbour, Maiden Pap.
- •From the summit, the view highlights the unique geography of the far north: a vast, glittering mosaic of lochans and peat bogs known as the Flow Country, stretching toward the rounded backs of the Scaraben range.
- •The hill's profile is so reliably steep and symmetrical that locals have long used it as a natural weather vane; if Morven wears a cap of cloud, rain is almost certainly on its way to the coast.